The Grand Prix de Montréal tackles multiple laps of a circuit worthy of the World Championships and Montreal was the site of Eddy Merckx’s triumph in 1974.
Fellow Belgian Greg Van Avermaet (CCC Team) emulated the Cannibal in 2019, putting out a powerful, well-timed surge to win the Grand Prix de Montréal.
The Olympic champion shot out of a reduced bunch late on the climb up the Avenue du Parc to overhaul Diego Ulissi (UAE Team Emirates), with Ivan Garcia (Bahrain-Merida) third.
It was Van Avermaet's third win of 2019 after stages in the Tour de Yorkshire and Volta a la Communitat Valenciana but proved to be the highlight of his 2019 season.
Julian Alaphilippe (Deceuninck-Quickstep) animated the closing kilometres, chasing down compatriot Benoit Cosnefroy (AG2R La Mondiale) and heading out of the last turn with a small gap on the bunch led by Jack Haig (Mitchelton-Scott).
